Pope Francis is Changing How We See the World

This was one of the first comments by Pope Francis that really struck me. It struck me as reminder of just how complacent that we can all become with our lives. How sheltered we have become behind the walls of our homes and the walls of our churches. We’re all guilty of it, I’ll be the first to admit it. Sure, not all of us can go out to all the poor and marginalized, we all can’t travel to less fortunate countries. But even the smallest thing as giving a smile to someone you don’t know is reaching out and maybe even making their day. Even stopping on a corner and giving someone spare change is reaching out. Showing your love and belief in God even in a passing conversation is keeping our hearts from becoming numb to the world around us.

We are all called to be disciples of Christ but we are not getting His work done if we leave the message that we receive in church behind the doors of the church when we go home. We cannot be afraid of failure. He knows we will fail from time to time but it is the fact that we tried that is important to Him.

We can’t be afraid of the changing climate towards Christianity in this country because we need to remember that this is a smaller group than the media portrays it to be. In fact it should encourage us, maybe even enrage us to the point of doing something about it. We can’t afford to hide our faith behind closed doors. What good does that do anyone?

I witnessed a humble man who had the ability to shut Congress up and even bring a few to tears! That in itself was a miracle to watch! To see so many men and women whom we as Americans often think are pompous and self-centered, erupt with joy and jump to their feet in applause for this man was nothing ever experienced before on Capitol Hill!

He has tugged at my heart many times during his journey in this country and he has made me reflect upon my own ideas about certain issues so much so that I now look at them far differently than I did before I listened to his message!

He has not only made me be proud to be an American again but he’s also helped me to be proud of being Catholic again! God Bless Pope Francis for bringing joy and hope back to all of us!

I will leave you with his closing statement he made to Congress. It not only gave me chills but it also brought tears to my eyes. (I may not have every word exact but it’s close enough.

“America was built on the backs of immigrants and has always been a country that allowed people to dream. Let America continue to let future generations to dream. God Bless America!”